El Niño Threatens Indian Monsoon, Raising Crop Output Risks

India is set to witness a below-normal monsoon this year as a likely El Niño weather pattern could reduce rainfall, adding pressure on farmers who are already facing higher input costs following the Middle East conflict.

Cumulative rain between June and September is likely to be 92% of the long-term average, M. Ravichandran, secretary at the Ministry of Earth Sciences, said at a news conference on Monday. The prediction carries a 5% margin of error.